Healthy Homes Assessment Johnsonville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Johnsonville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Johnsonville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Johnsonville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Johnsonville, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Johnsonville rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Johnsonville rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Johnsonville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Johnsonville

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A draughty home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from the house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building as the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Johnsonville

Johnsonville rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like heat pumps, it could need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Johnsonville

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Johnsonville

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make it easier for the house to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Johnsonville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Johnsonville

Property rental areas that are affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Johnsonville include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Johnsonville for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.